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Sirisena sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Maithripala Sirisena was sworn in as Sri Lanka's new president on Friday after the people ousted his rival President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Following a closely fought election Rajapaksa was beaten by nearly half a million votes with Sirisena grabbing the lion's share with 51.28 percent.

After Sirisena was sworn in as the country's seventh president, opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe took oaths as the prime minister.

Rajapaksa vacated his official residence in Colombo early Friday but at a meeting with his loyalists had pledged to remain its leader, according to Member of Parliament Thilanga Sumathipala. "I extend special thanks to President Mahinda Rajapaksa who allowed me to be appointed as the next president and assured a peaceful transition of power," Sirisena said following the declaration of him as the new president. "To all those who did or did not support me I hereby request not to instigate any violence. The honor of this victory is in maintaining peace," he said. Sirisena emerged as the unlikely giant slayer in November after Rajapaksa called for early elections with two years to go before the end of his second term. He sought an unprecedented third term in power despite growing criticism of corruption and family rule.

Sirisena was Rajapaksa's health minister before crossing over to become the candidate of the coalition opposition, which gathered together the Tamil and Muslim minorities as well.

Sirisena has a difficult time ahead of him, which includes carrying out his core promise of rolling back the powers of the executive presidency within 100 days. He has also pledged constitutional change that will see the appointment of a parliament style of governance under a prime minister. Endit